A Moving Target: Collecting the Wisconsin Budget Protests Jonathan Nelson, Collection Development Archivist

A Tradition of Proactive Collecting AFL, SLP, SWP, and economic justice SNCC, Freedom Summer, and civil rights SDS and Vietnam War protests Nicaragua and Central American policy Reproductive rights issues 2

The Opening Bell Protests began on February Democratic State Senators were reported in Illinois on February 20 Scope and significance of the protests became apparent, collecting began the week of February 20 3

We Develop Our Strategy Varying perspectives Documentation is ephemeral, collect now Public officials’ papers and public records to augment private donations Must select from a large quantity of available materials Wide variety of formats Preserve and provide access Cooperate with WHS Museum 4

Format and Content Acquisition Plans Web-based information Photographs Audio and video Legislative and governmental process Public records Manuscripts and personal histories Signs and paper ephemera 5

Tales From The Field Collecting while protesting With a little help from my friends The Great Capitol Caper “It’s not history yet!” Signs, signs everywhere 6

Lessons Learned Politics play a role Collect early and often Enlist assistance Ephemeral events create ephemeral records Collect now, appraise later Later the whole story will be told 7

Madison, Wisconsin March 12,

Questions? Jonathan Nelson, Collection Development Archivist